Garhwal Rifles
Encyclopedia
The Garhwal
Rifles is a light infantry
or 'rifle' regiment of the Indian Army
. It was originally raised as the 39th Garhwal Rifles of the Bengal Army
, became part of the old Indian Army
, and received its present name on Indian independence. It served during the Frontier campaigns of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, as well in both the World Wars and the wars fought after Independence. Mainly made up of Garhwali
soldiers, this regiment has a distinguished record and a unique identity. Today it is made up of more than 25,000 soldiers, organised into nineteen regular battalions (i.e. 2nd to 19th) and the Garhwal Scouts, who are stationed permanently at Joshimath. The 1st Battalion has been converted to a mechanised infantry unit as part of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment
as its 6th batallion.
The regimental insignia is based on the defunct Royal Green Jackets
as they are a designated rifle regiment.
or ravine
s.
Millions of boys have left their mountain villages of Uttarakhand
in search of good jobs or a better life than in the hills. For Uttarakhandi soldiers to enlist, it has been common practice to leave the villages in the hills in search of adventure and fortune, indeed it has become a tradition in Uttarakhand
, which still continues unabated. Paharis (the people "of the mountains") have always played a role in defending the frontiers of the Republic of India.
"Garhwal" is the land of many 'Garhs' meaning forts. This region was made up of many small forts which were ruled by chieftains. Garhwal originally consisted of 52 petty chieftainships, each chief with his own independent fortress (garh). The rulers of Garhwal remained independent and repeatedly expelled the attacks of the Mughal rulers of Delhi
. During the 19th century, the Gurkhas attacked Garhwal and drove the rulers of Garhwal down to the plains. Thereafter the rulers of Garhwal, with the help of the British forces in India, regained their kingdom.
The Regimental Training Centre and Headquarters is located at Lansdowne
. Named after Lord Lansdowne
who founded the place in 1887, Lansdowne, is one of the, albeit small, beautiful hill stations in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand
. It is situated 45 km from Kotdwara
en route Kotdwar-Pauri road in the Pauri Garhwal
district. The training centre was built on the site of the old Kaludanda Fort. In 2003, the Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre, Lansdowne was awarded the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar
(Indira Gandhi Environment Award), by the Ministry of Environment and Forests
, Government of India
.
On May 5, 1887, the first battalion was constituted under the command of Lieutenant Colonel E. P. Mainwaring at Almora
. It was designated the 2nd Battalion, 3rd (Kumaon) Gurkha Regiment, and it comprised six companies of Garhwalis and two of Gurkhas. On November 4 of the same year, this battalion reached Kalundanda in Garhwal. In 1890, Kalundanda was renamed as Lansdowne after the then Viceroy of India. In 1891, the two Gurkha companies were dropped and the battalion was redesignated the 39th (The Garhwal Rifles) Regiment of Bengal Infantry. This was the first all Garhwali battalion.
Following this, the Garhwalis served along the Tibet border, in the Chin Hills and on the North-East and North-West Frontiers of India, where they earned the battle honour 'Punjab Frontier'. In 1901, another battalion was raised as part of the Bengal Infantry. This was designated the 49th (The Garhwal Rifles) Regiment of Bengal Infantry. Later that same year, this battalion and the 39th were regimented together to form the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 39th Garhwal Rifles.
, the highest military bravery award of the British Empire. Members of the regiment also earned many other bravery awards including: 6 Distinguished Service Orders, 25 Military Cross
es, 14 Indian Orders of Merit and 21 Indian Distinguished Service Medal
s. There were also a number of foreign awards, including French, Russian and Romanian awards.
The 3rd Battalion was raised in 1916 and the 4th Battalion in 1917, this battalion became the 1st Kumaon Rifles
in 1918, but the 4th Battalion was raised again in October 1918. These two battalions were raised in order to maintain security in India whilst the Indian Army fought overseas. The Garhwal Rifles received the rare honour of being conferred with the 'Royal' title, which was made official on 2 February 1921.
of the 4th/39th Garhwal Regiment won the Regiment's third Victoria Cross when he led a small force of men in a desperate counter-attack against a superior force of Mahsud
tribesmen in order to allow the rest of his company to withdraw to safety. Kenny, along with the rest of his assault party, was killed in the action, and the gallantry award was made posthumously on 9 September 1920.
, the Khudai Khidmatgar
(nationalist satyagrahis) gathered to protest, and the troops were called out in response to the demonstration. What followed next is disputed — some historians have claimed that the crowd was peaceful and unarmed, and that the members of the Regiment were ordered to open fire by their British officers but, under the leadership of Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali refused to do so against unarmed civilians. It has been asserted that the whole incident galvanised the entire freedom movement. Other accounts, however, have painted a different picture. At the time, it was felt that the Garhwalis had failed in their duty, however, the official report following the incident cited evidence that the crowd had turned violent and that the regiment did in fact open fire, as per their orders, and that the crowd then dispersed.
The aftermath, however, seems clearer. Following the incident at Peshawar the Regiment received a black mark against its name, and the loyalty of its members was called into question. Matters were made worse when, the following day, two platoons refused to fall in, and several men declared that they wished to be discharged. Because of this, higher command believed that the battalion was disaffected and, as a result, the disaffected men were ordered to return their weapons and dismiss. Later the entire battalion was disarmed. A Court of Inquiry afterwards found that the men of the Regiment had acted properly according to the confused orders that they had received on the day of the incident in Peshawar, but on the subject of the incident the following day it was quite swift in handing out the punishments. The riflemen of the two platoons that had refused to fall in were all dismissed from the service, whilst of the seventeen non-commissioned officers, one received transportation for life, another was sentenced to fourteen years imprisonment and the other fifteen also received various smaller terms of imprisonment.
These punishments seem quite harsh in the circumstances, but probably serve to highlight the concern that the British had surrounding the incident at the time, when it was felt on both sides, not without reason, that British rule in India was coming to an end. This did not turn out to be completely correct, of course, for the Raj still had another seventeen years to run, but it almost certainly served as a portent of the future.
The 2nd and 5th Battalions were captured in the fall of Singapore and remained in captivity until the end of the war.
The Regiment's casualties during the war were high, with some 350 killed and approximately 1,400 wounded. However, whilst other regiments received due reward for their sacrifices, the Garhwal Regiment received very few — no Victoria Crosses — a fact which has never been explained, although there has been speculation that this was due in part to the memory of the 1930 Peshawar incident.
Following the war the 1st and 3rd Battalions served briefly in a garrison role in Sumatra and Italy before returning to India. The 4th Battalion was used to reconstitute the 2nd Battalion in May 1946. The 5th Battalion was not raised again and the 6th Battalion was disbanded at war's end.
After the formation of India in 1947 and the subsequent merger of the various states in India at the time, the Garhwal Princely State
was among the first to be merged in with the Indian Union. Subsequently, the Regiment was transferred to the newly independent Indian Army
. Following this, the Regiment was involved in the conflict in Jammu & Kashmir for a time, during which the 3rd Battalion's role with the 161st Brigade in the Uri-Punch linkup was of particular note.
In 1950, the Royal title was dropped from the Regiment's name when India became a Republic. Other regimental symbols that were associated with the British were also discontinued, although the regimental lanyard continued to be worn on the right shoulder in traditional 'Royal' fashion. In 1953, the Regiment contributed to the United Nations custodian force in Korea.
of the 4 Garhwal Rifles (Mahavir Chakra — posthumously), was honoured after being executed, by the Chinese themselves. He has a temple in his honour at Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh).
posthumously in the battle. After the battle statistics of killed were 2 officers and 47 other ranks. On the other hand 3rd Battalion The Frontier Force Regiment: Killed 3 JCO's and 64 other ranks, wounded 3 JCO's and 100 other ranks.
itself. 12th Battalion was in the Bengal area for support. All the units performed all the tasks satisfactorily.
The 5th Garhwal Rifles was tasked in the Battle of Hilli. In the third phase of the battle, 5 Garhwal Rifles, were given a very difficult task of capturing several small villages of Basudevpur, Hakimpur and Rangapara. Each attack had to be separately organised, with adequate mortar and artillery fire. The Garhwalis emerged victorious.
during the Kargil
conflict of 1999. The Chief of Army Staff made a special immediate award of a "Unit Citation" to 18th Battalion, The Garhwal Rifles, for their meritorious and gallant performance during the battles of Point 5140 on the night of 19/20 June and Point 4700 on the night of 27/28 June 1999, in Dras Sector. This award was received by their commanding officer, Col. Anshu Trivedi.
Capt. Jintu Gogoi,17th Garhwal Rifles was lost in heavy artillery exchange with the enemy in the Batalik Sector.
Not to be outdone the 17th Garhwal Rifles and the 10th Garhwal Rifles performed above all expectations during the Kargil War.
With so many families in the hills of Garhwal and Kumaon who have sons (and daughters) in the military, the conflict in Kashmir has taken a heavy toll. The Garhwal Rifles, as well as other Himalayan regiments (the Gurkha Rifles
, Ladakh Scouts, Naga Regiment
, and Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry
) were all entrusted with operations in Kargil in 1999. They joined their Sikh
, Rajasthan
i, Mahar
, and Bihari
brothers as a multicultural and multi-faith force on the frontlines, suffering the brunt of casualties in defence of the state.
and 12 RR sector took part. These were 2/4 Gorkha Rifles, 15 Garhwal Rifles, 4 Garhwal Rifles, 16 and 20 Rashtriya Rifles. It was estimated that up to 100 militants were in and around the Hillkaka hideout spread out in the forest when Special Forces struck in the initial raid. They killed 13 Pakistani militants and captured two of whom one died later. In subsequent combing operations which lasted 10 days, 4 Garhwal Rifles ambushed seven militants near Haripur while they were attempting to cross over into Srinagar. Altogether, 45 Muslim militants were killed against a loss of four soldiers killed and two wounded. Substantial recoveries were made. Approximately 60 caches and hideouts were busted yielding 20 AK 47 rifles, 5 PIKA guns, two sniper rifles and unspecified quantities of grenade launchers, self loading rifles and 45 kg of plastic explosives. In addition substantial quantities of radio sets, and other communication equipment was also recovered besides rations enough to feed 500 men for two weeks.
Battle Honours Pre Independence
Battle Honours Post Independence
Recipients
Soldiers from the Garhwal Regiment were among the first Indian soldiers to receive the Victoria Cross
— which was, at the time, the highest decoration a soldier in the British or Commonwealth Forces could receive for gallantry — with two soldiers receiving this honour for their actions during the First World War. A British officer of the 4th/39th Garhwal Rifles, also received a Victoria Cross during the Waziristan Campaign in 1920.
Mahavir Chakra Recipient:
Of the other Gallantry award winners the following are of particular note -
in June 2004. The highlight of the two-day celebrations was the special sainik sammelan presided over by Maj Gen MC Bhandari, the Colonel of Garhwal Rifles and Garhwal Scouts.
Addressing the sammelan, Maj Gen Bhandari recalled the gallant deeds of the Garhwali soldiers and said that the Garhwal Rifles has added a golden chapter in the annals of the Army history. Maj Gen Bhandari, on the occasion, released a commemorative First Day cover designed by Army Postal Service (APS) in the presence of Col M Eleesha, Director, APS, Central Command.
An attestation parade was also held as part of the reunion celebrations in which 266 recruits were inducted as full-fledged soldiers. Maj Gen Bhandari, who administered the oath, also presented medals to the distinguished recruits of the course. Rfn Rajiv Singh was adjudged the best recruit and received gold medal. Rfn Ashish Rawat was declared best in drill, Rfn Bhagwan Singh in PT and Rfn Sandeep Singh in firing. After the parade, the Colonel of the Regiment felicitated 22 Veer Naris and next-of-kin of martyrs.
Maj Gen Bhandari, retired senior officers and the Subedar Major of the Regimental Center laid wreaths in homage to those who laid down their lives in the battlefield and brought glory to their regiment in a solemn ceremony organised at the Regimental War Memorial.
About 300 officers and jawans, both serving and retired, from across the country participated in the celebrations. The veteran soldiers who attended the celebrations included the 92-year-old Lt Col IS Thapa and 80-year-old Maj PM Rex who served the Royal Garhwal Rifles from 1942 to 1948 and had come along with his wife from England. Several senior retired officers of the regiment attended, including Lt. Gen. ML Tuli (former Vice Chief of Army Staff), and Lt. Gen. K. Mahendra Singh (former Deputy Chief of Army Staff, and Col. of the regiment), participated. Lt Gen RS Gaur, who retired as a Quarter Master General, Army Headquarters also participated in celebrations. They cherished old memories on this occasion.
A badakhana and a variety entertainment programme were other highlights of the celebrations. A number of adventurous events organised to mark the occasion included para-drop and sky-diving demonstration by 50 (Independent) Para Brigade, motorcycle display by a 36-member team of the Corps of Military Police which came from Bangalore dogs' display by RVC Centre, Meerut.
, at a height of 5800 ft (1,767.8 m) above sea level, is the recruitment centre of the Garhwal Rifles. On October 1, 1921 the regimental centre celebrated its first founder's day. Now October 1 is celebrated as the raising day of the battalion. After Independence, the name of the centre was changed to Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre. The rigorous drills during the training helps to infuse a sense of discipline in every recruit. Special emphasis is laid on physical fitness, mental toughness and weapon handling. After successful completion of the 34-week training course, a Garhwali youth is turned into a soldier. The soldier is then trained for two more weeks in counter-insurgency operations.
Garhwal Kingdom
Garhwal Kingdom was a princely state in north-western Uttarakhand, India, ruled by the Panwar dynasty. It was founded in 888 AD and existed until it was annexed by the Gorkhas in 1803...
Rifles is a light infantry
Light infantry
Traditionally light infantry were soldiers whose job was to provide a skirmishing screen ahead of the main body of infantry, harassing and delaying the enemy advance. Light infantry was distinct from medium, heavy or line infantry. Heavy infantry were dedicated primarily to fighting in tight...
or 'rifle' regiment of the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
. It was originally raised as the 39th Garhwal Rifles of the Bengal Army
Bengal Army
The Bengal Army was the army of the Presidency of Bengal, one of the three Presidencies of British India, in South Asia. Although based in Bengal in eastern India, the presidency stretched across northern India and the Himalayas all the way to the North West Frontier Province...
, became part of the old Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
, and received its present name on Indian independence. It served during the Frontier campaigns of the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, as well in both the World Wars and the wars fought after Independence. Mainly made up of Garhwali
Garhwali people
Garhwali people are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group who primarily live in the Garhwal Himalayas of the north-western Indian state of Uttarakhand...
soldiers, this regiment has a distinguished record and a unique identity. Today it is made up of more than 25,000 soldiers, organised into nineteen regular battalions (i.e. 2nd to 19th) and the Garhwal Scouts, who are stationed permanently at Joshimath. The 1st Battalion has been converted to a mechanised infantry unit as part of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment
Mechanised Infantry Regiment
The Mechanised Infantry Regiment is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army. It is one of the youngest regiments in the army, and though it was formed as a result of lessons learned in the 1965 Indo-Pak War, to give infantry battalions greater mobility, it was the mastermind of late Gen K Sundarji...
as its 6th batallion.
The regimental insignia is based on the defunct Royal Green Jackets
Royal Green Jackets
The Royal Green Jackets was an infantry regiment of the British Army, one of two "large regiments" within the Light Division .-History:...
as they are a designated rifle regiment.
Recruitment
Soldiers recruited into the Garhwal Rifles are from the Garhwal Hills. Garhwal consists almost entirely of rugged mountain ranges running in all directions, and separated by narrow valleys which in some cases become deep gorgesGorges
Gorges, the plural of the French word for "throat", usually refers to a canyon.Gorges is the name or part of the name of several communes in France:* Gorges, in the Loire-Atlantique département* Gorges, in the Manche département...
or ravine
Ravine
A ravine is a landform narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streamcutting erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. A ravine is generally a fluvial slope landform of relatively steep sides, on the order of twenty to...
s.
Millions of boys have left their mountain villages of Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
in search of good jobs or a better life than in the hills. For Uttarakhandi soldiers to enlist, it has been common practice to leave the villages in the hills in search of adventure and fortune, indeed it has become a tradition in Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
, which still continues unabated. Paharis (the people "of the mountains") have always played a role in defending the frontiers of the Republic of India.
"Garhwal" is the land of many 'Garhs' meaning forts. This region was made up of many small forts which were ruled by chieftains. Garhwal originally consisted of 52 petty chieftainships, each chief with his own independent fortress (garh). The rulers of Garhwal remained independent and repeatedly expelled the attacks of the Mughal rulers of Delhi
Mughal Empire
The Mughal Empire , or Mogul Empire in traditional English usage, was an imperial power from the Indian Subcontinent. The Mughal emperors were descendants of the Timurids...
. During the 19th century, the Gurkhas attacked Garhwal and drove the rulers of Garhwal down to the plains. Thereafter the rulers of Garhwal, with the help of the British forces in India, regained their kingdom.
The Regimental Training Centre and Headquarters is located at Lansdowne
Lansdowne, Garhwal
Lansdowne is a cantonment town in Pauri Garhwal district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.-History:Originally known as, Kaludanda, after Kalun and Danda in local language, Lansdowne was founded and named after then Viceroy of India, Lord Lansdowne in 1887, and by 1901 it had a population of 3943...
. Named after Lord Lansdowne
Lord Lansdowne
Lord Lansdowne may refer to:Before 1784*George Granville, 1st Baron Lansdowne After 1784*Marquess of Lansdowne...
who founded the place in 1887, Lansdowne, is one of the, albeit small, beautiful hill stations in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand
Uttarakhand , formerly Uttaranchal, is a state in the northern part of India. It is often referred to as the Land of Gods due to the many holy Hindu temples and cities found throughout the state, some of which are among Hinduism's most spiritual and auspicious places of pilgrimage and worship...
. It is situated 45 km from Kotdwara
Kotdwara
Kotdwara is a town and district headquarter in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.-Geography:Kotdwara is one of the district of Uttarakhand, situated at the border of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, on the foothills of the Shivalik Range of Himalayan Mountains. It is locked in by hills from three sides...
en route Kotdwar-Pauri road in the Pauri Garhwal
Pauri Garhwal
Pauri Garhwal is a district in Uttarakhand state of India. Its headquarters is at Pauri. Pauri Garhwal district is ringed by Haridwar, Dehradun, Tehri Garhwal, Rudraprayag, Chamoli, Almora and Nainital districts from three sides. The southern boundary of Pauri Garhwal district touches with the...
district. The training centre was built on the site of the old Kaludanda Fort. In 2003, the Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre, Lansdowne was awarded the Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar
Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar
Indira Gandhi Paryavaran Puraskar is an environment award instituted by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India in the year 1987, in order to encourage public participation in environment...
(Indira Gandhi Environment Award), by the Ministry of Environment and Forests
Ministry of Environment and Forests
The Ministry of Environment and Forests is an Indian government ministry. The Minister of Environment and Forests holds cabinet rank as a member of the Council of Ministers...
, Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
.
Early history
Prior to 1887, there was no separate battalion of the Garhwali soldiers. They used to be recruited in the Gorkha regiments, Bengal Infantry and Punjab Frontier Force. Impressed by their simplicity, honesty, courage and dedication, the British government decided to form a separate battalion for the Garhwali soldiers. The Garhwal Rifles was raised in 1887 to give the Garhwali hillmen their own regiment. This was propagated by Field Marshal Sir Frederick Sleigh Roberts, VC, who realized that many Garhwalis had served in Gurkha regiments, and majority of the early awards to Gurkha regiments were actually won by Garhwalis soldiers.On May 5, 1887, the first battalion was constituted under the command of Lieutenant Colonel E. P. Mainwaring at Almora
Almora
Almora is a municipal board, a cantonment town in the Almora district in the state of Uttarakhand, India. Almora was founded in 1568.It is a town bustling with activity and a rich cultural heritage and history. It is considered the cultural heart of the Kumaon region of...
. It was designated the 2nd Battalion, 3rd (Kumaon) Gurkha Regiment, and it comprised six companies of Garhwalis and two of Gurkhas. On November 4 of the same year, this battalion reached Kalundanda in Garhwal. In 1890, Kalundanda was renamed as Lansdowne after the then Viceroy of India. In 1891, the two Gurkha companies were dropped and the battalion was redesignated the 39th (The Garhwal Rifles) Regiment of Bengal Infantry. This was the first all Garhwali battalion.
Following this, the Garhwalis served along the Tibet border, in the Chin Hills and on the North-East and North-West Frontiers of India, where they earned the battle honour 'Punjab Frontier'. In 1901, another battalion was raised as part of the Bengal Infantry. This was designated the 49th (The Garhwal Rifles) Regiment of Bengal Infantry. Later that same year, this battalion and the 39th were regimented together to form the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 39th Garhwal Rifles.
The First World War (1914–18)
In the First World War, the Garhwal Rifles were involved in the war's first trench raid on 9/10 November 1914. The 1st and 2nd Battalions saw action in the trenches in France, where Naik Darwan Singh Negi and Rifleman Gabar Singh Negi were both awarded the Victoria CrossVictoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest military bravery award of the British Empire. Members of the regiment also earned many other bravery awards including: 6 Distinguished Service Orders, 25 Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
es, 14 Indian Orders of Merit and 21 Indian Distinguished Service Medal
Indian Distinguished Service Medal
The Indian Distinguished Service Medal was a military decoration awarded by the British Empire to Indian citizens serving in the Indian armed forces and police...
s. There were also a number of foreign awards, including French, Russian and Romanian awards.
The 3rd Battalion was raised in 1916 and the 4th Battalion in 1917, this battalion became the 1st Kumaon Rifles
Kumaon Regiment
The Kumaon Regiment is one of the most decorated regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment traces its origins to the 18th century and has fought in every major campaign of the British Indian Army and the Indian Army, including the two world wars...
in 1918, but the 4th Battalion was raised again in October 1918. These two battalions were raised in order to maintain security in India whilst the Indian Army fought overseas. The Garhwal Rifles received the rare honour of being conferred with the 'Royal' title, which was made official on 2 February 1921.
The Kotkai War (1919–1920)
During the Waziristan Campaign of 1919–1920, sometimes referred to as the Kotkai War, Lieutenant William David KennyWilliam David Kenny
William David Kenny VC born Saintfield, County Down on 1 February 1899 was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
of the 4th/39th Garhwal Regiment won the Regiment's third Victoria Cross when he led a small force of men in a desperate counter-attack against a superior force of Mahsud
Mahsud
Mahsud is a Pashtun tribe in South Waziristan, a tribal region in Pakistan. Mahsud are considered to be one of the bravest and toughest Pashtun Tribes. The Mahsud tribe lives in the centre of South Waziristan valley, surrounded on three sides by the Darwesh Waziris, and being shut off by the...
tribesmen in order to allow the rest of his company to withdraw to safety. Kenny, along with the rest of his assault party, was killed in the action, and the gallantry award was made posthumously on 9 September 1920.
Link to the Indian Nationalist Movement
Against the backdrop of growing civil unrest and Indian nationalism in the 1930s, some historians have asserted that the Regiment fell into disfavour with the British following an incident at Peshawar on 23 April 1930, when a detachment of the 2/18 Garhwal Rifles apparently refused to obey an order to open fire on an unruly crowd that was causing a disturbance. Following the controversial arrest of Khan Abdul Ghaffar KhanKhan Abdul Ghaffar Khan
Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan was an Afghan, Pashtun political and spiritual leader known for his non-violent opposition to British Rule in India...
, the Khudai Khidmatgar
Khudai Khidmatgar
Khudai Khidmatgar literally translates as the servants of God, represented a non-violent freedom struggle against the British Empire by the Pashtuns of the North-West Frontier Province....
(nationalist satyagrahis) gathered to protest, and the troops were called out in response to the demonstration. What followed next is disputed — some historians have claimed that the crowd was peaceful and unarmed, and that the members of the Regiment were ordered to open fire by their British officers but, under the leadership of Veer Chandra Singh Garhwali refused to do so against unarmed civilians. It has been asserted that the whole incident galvanised the entire freedom movement. Other accounts, however, have painted a different picture. At the time, it was felt that the Garhwalis had failed in their duty, however, the official report following the incident cited evidence that the crowd had turned violent and that the regiment did in fact open fire, as per their orders, and that the crowd then dispersed.
The aftermath, however, seems clearer. Following the incident at Peshawar the Regiment received a black mark against its name, and the loyalty of its members was called into question. Matters were made worse when, the following day, two platoons refused to fall in, and several men declared that they wished to be discharged. Because of this, higher command believed that the battalion was disaffected and, as a result, the disaffected men were ordered to return their weapons and dismiss. Later the entire battalion was disarmed. A Court of Inquiry afterwards found that the men of the Regiment had acted properly according to the confused orders that they had received on the day of the incident in Peshawar, but on the subject of the incident the following day it was quite swift in handing out the punishments. The riflemen of the two platoons that had refused to fall in were all dismissed from the service, whilst of the seventeen non-commissioned officers, one received transportation for life, another was sentenced to fourteen years imprisonment and the other fifteen also received various smaller terms of imprisonment.
These punishments seem quite harsh in the circumstances, but probably serve to highlight the concern that the British had surrounding the incident at the time, when it was felt on both sides, not without reason, that British rule in India was coming to an end. This did not turn out to be completely correct, of course, for the Raj still had another seventeen years to run, but it almost certainly served as a portent of the future.
The Second World War (1939–45)
During the Second World War, five more battalions of the Garhwal Rifles were raised. These were: the 4th (re-raised having been converted into a training battalion and designated 10th Battalion earlier), the 5th, 6th, 7th and 25th (Garrison) battalion. The Regiment saw active service in almost all of the theatres of the war, including: Burma, Malaya, Egypt, Iraq, Eritrea, Abyssinia.The 2nd and 5th Battalions were captured in the fall of Singapore and remained in captivity until the end of the war.
The Regiment's casualties during the war were high, with some 350 killed and approximately 1,400 wounded. However, whilst other regiments received due reward for their sacrifices, the Garhwal Regiment received very few — no Victoria Crosses — a fact which has never been explained, although there has been speculation that this was due in part to the memory of the 1930 Peshawar incident.
Following the war the 1st and 3rd Battalions served briefly in a garrison role in Sumatra and Italy before returning to India. The 4th Battalion was used to reconstitute the 2nd Battalion in May 1946. The 5th Battalion was not raised again and the 6th Battalion was disbanded at war's end.
Post Independence
Garhwal Kingdom
Garhwal Kingdom was a princely state in north-western Uttarakhand, India, ruled by the Panwar dynasty. It was founded in 888 AD and existed until it was annexed by the Gorkhas in 1803...
was among the first to be merged in with the Indian Union. Subsequently, the Regiment was transferred to the newly independent Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
. Following this, the Regiment was involved in the conflict in Jammu & Kashmir for a time, during which the 3rd Battalion's role with the 161st Brigade in the Uri-Punch linkup was of particular note.
In 1950, the Royal title was dropped from the Regiment's name when India became a Republic. Other regimental symbols that were associated with the British were also discontinued, although the regimental lanyard continued to be worn on the right shoulder in traditional 'Royal' fashion. In 1953, the Regiment contributed to the United Nations custodian force in Korea.
Indo-China War of 1962
The 4 Garhwal Rifles played a significant role in the India-China War of 1962. The sacrifice along the frontier of Garhwali lives was enormous, as the Indian Army was ill-prepared for the rapidly advancing Chinese. Badly equipped for high altitude combat, short on supplies, and reconnaissance of the enemy, the Indian troops struggled valiantly onward, despite fighting a losing war to both the invaders and frostbite. Indeed, one battalion of the Garhwal Rifles was surrounded and suffered many casualties in the short, but bloody engagement that followed. Rfn. Jaswant Singh RawatJaswant Singh Rawat
Rifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat was an Indian soldier who won the Mahavir Chakra Bravery Award.It was the final phase of the Sino-Indian War in November 1962. Even as his company was asked to fall back, Jaswant Singh remained at his post at an altitude of 10,000 feet and held back Chinese soldiers for...
of the 4 Garhwal Rifles (Mahavir Chakra — posthumously), was honoured after being executed, by the Chinese themselves. He has a temple in his honour at Tawang (Arunachal Pradesh).
Battle of Gadra City
The 1 Garhwal Rifles were deployed along the border in Rajasthan Sector. The battalion commanded by Lt. Col O.P.Lahiri launched attack on Gadra City at 6.45 a.m. and captured it by 1.00 p.m. In the morning of 18 September one company of the battalion repulsed Pakistani attack who fled leaving behind 12 bodies and 1 Jeep. On 22 September the battalion offered a stubborn resistance to the Pakistani multi pronged offensive to recapture Gadra City and were supported by Pakistan Air Force. But the battalion stood the ground and repulsed all the attacks.Battle of Buttur Dograndi
The 8 Garhwal Rifles played a vital role in the Battle of Buttur Dograndi where the Major Abdul Rafi Khan of 8 Garhwal Rifles had managed to regroup his scattered companies after the first failed assault and it was decided that A Sqn Poona Horse along with 8 Garhwal would launch another attack on Buttur Dograndi which had in the meantime been occupied by some elements of 3 Frontier Force. D company of the 8 Garhwalis led the advance and met only minor opposition and the village was retaken.On 17 September, Pakistan's 4th Corps artillery sporadically fired on the Garhwali positions with medium and heavy guns. Later during the day some enemy armour also appeared with infantry. The Garhwalis fought on with their small arms, well concealed as they were in the thick crops. Two tanks ( 25 Cavalry) entered the defended area and started spraying the Garhwalis with their machine guns from close range. Rifleman Balwant Singh Bisht took up a rocket launcher and managed to put one of these tanks out of action. He was himself blown to pieces by a shell shot from the tank gun. Casualties were heavy on both sides but 3FF and the tank troop had to withdraw against the determination of the Garhwalis. Although the later battle saw the Garhwalis being ordered to withdraw under heavy artillery fire of the enemy as the position had become untenable, yet the determination of Major Khan allowed them to withdraw to safety, but Major Khan stayed back with the wounded who could not be evacuated. Major Khan was awarded Vir ChakraVir Chakra
Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration carried with it the right to use Vr.C. as a postnominal abbreviation Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration...
posthumously in the battle. After the battle statistics of killed were 2 officers and 47 other ranks. On the other hand 3rd Battalion The Frontier Force Regiment: Killed 3 JCO's and 64 other ranks, wounded 3 JCO's and 100 other ranks.
Operation Hill
The 2nd Battalion battalion was part of the battle during Operation Hill. On October 6/7, 1965 the battalion was nominated by the GOC for the task of attacking and capturing the area where the Pakistani infiltrators had managed to build up their defences. The attack by the battalion was launched with great courage and determination. However, due to wrong intelligence assessment of enemy strength and disposition with insufficient time to reorient itself and very little fire support, the battalion suffered heavy casualties and the attack was beaten back by a battalion strength of Pakistanis. The battalion took part in second attack on enemy position in conjunction with other battalions. In this operation, B company laid an ambush and captured one Pakistani officer. Capt C N Singh of the "Superb Second" won the only Mahavir Chakra of the regiment during the 1965 operations. Reacting to specific information about presence of infiltrators, Capt CN Singh attacked them with great ferocity and valour. In a close quarter hand-to-hand fight, he was fatally wounded and later succumbed to his injuries. For his gallant leadership and valour, he was awarded the coveted Maha Vir Chakra. after Major Khan death Maj HS Rautela took the command and succesfully fought and evaucated the injured till the replacement could arrive. He later won the Sena Medal for his gallantary when he captured the village of Gurkhi in Pakaishtan and was named after his name. The battalion won 1 MVC, 2 SMs and 5 COAS Commendation Cards.1971 War
During the 1971 war with Pakistan, 11th Garhwal was in the Eastern theatre with the 6th Mountain Division under Maj. Gen P.C. Reddy. 2nd Garhwal Rifles was with 2nd Mountain Division and was allotted to 101 Comn Z for thust upon DhakaDhaka
Dhaka is the capital of Bangladesh and the principal city of Dhaka Division. Dhaka is a megacity and one of the major cities of South Asia. Located on the banks of the Buriganga River, Dhaka, along with its metropolitan area, had a population of over 15 million in 2010, making it the largest city...
itself. 12th Battalion was in the Bengal area for support. All the units performed all the tasks satisfactorily.
The 5th Garhwal Rifles was tasked in the Battle of Hilli. In the third phase of the battle, 5 Garhwal Rifles, were given a very difficult task of capturing several small villages of Basudevpur, Hakimpur and Rangapara. Each attack had to be separately organised, with adequate mortar and artillery fire. The Garhwalis emerged victorious.
Post 1971
Established as a single class regiment, the Garhwal Rifles remained so until 1984. Following a national policy review, the 18th Garhwal Joint Battalion was constituted in 1985 along with the merger of companies of Jat, Dogra and Maratha regiments.The Kargil Operations in 1999
The Garhwal Rifles had the proud privilege of playing a decisive role in dislodging Pakistani forces and recapturing Tiger HillTiger Hill
Tiger Hill may mean*Tiger Hill, Suzhou at Suzhou in People's Republic of China*Tiger Hill, Darjeeling at Darjeeling in India*Tiger Hill, Fraserburgh a large sand dune in Fraserburgh.*Tiger Hill, Kargil near the Kargil region of Indian-Kashmir...
during the Kargil
Kargil War
The Kargil War ,, also known as the Kargil conflict, was an armed conflict between India and Pakistan that took place between May and July 1999 in the Kargil district of Kashmir and elsewhere along the Line of Control...
conflict of 1999. The Chief of Army Staff made a special immediate award of a "Unit Citation" to 18th Battalion, The Garhwal Rifles, for their meritorious and gallant performance during the battles of Point 5140 on the night of 19/20 June and Point 4700 on the night of 27/28 June 1999, in Dras Sector. This award was received by their commanding officer, Col. Anshu Trivedi.
Capt. Jintu Gogoi,17th Garhwal Rifles was lost in heavy artillery exchange with the enemy in the Batalik Sector.
Not to be outdone the 17th Garhwal Rifles and the 10th Garhwal Rifles performed above all expectations during the Kargil War.
With so many families in the hills of Garhwal and Kumaon who have sons (and daughters) in the military, the conflict in Kashmir has taken a heavy toll. The Garhwal Rifles, as well as other Himalayan regiments (the Gurkha Rifles
Gurkha Rifles
Gurkha Rifles may refer to any of a number of regiments of Gurkhas:* 1st King George V's Own Gurkha Rifles * 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles * 3rd Queen Alexandra's Own Gurkha Rifles...
, Ladakh Scouts, Naga Regiment
Naga Regiment
The Naga Regiment is the youngest Regiment of the Indian Army. In 1970, the First Battalion of the Naga Regiment was raised in Ranikhet.-Formation:...
, and Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry
Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry
The Jammu and Kashmir Light Infantry is an infantry regiment of the Indian Army.The regimental center is in Srinagar's Airport Complex at Avantipur with a small winter setup near Jammu. It's regimental insignia consists of a pair of crossed rifles...
) were all entrusted with operations in Kargil in 1999. They joined their Sikh
Sikh
A Sikh is a follower of Sikhism. It primarily originated in the 15th century in the Punjab region of South Asia. The term "Sikh" has its origin in Sanskrit term शिष्य , meaning "disciple, student" or शिक्ष , meaning "instruction"...
, Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
i, Mahar
Mahar
Mahar is an important social group within the Indian state of Maharashtra and surrounding states. A grouping of related endogamous castes, the Mahar are the largest scheduled caste group in Maharashtra, in which they comprise ten percent of the population .On...
, and Bihari
Bihari people
The Biharis are an ethnic group originating from the present state of Bihar with a history going back three millennia...
brothers as a multicultural and multi-faith force on the frontlines, suffering the brunt of casualties in defence of the state.
Operation Sarp Vinash 2003
The Indian Army's Northern Command conducted a complex militant camp-busting operation called Sarp Vinash with skill and precision, easily one of the landmark counter-terrorism operations in Jammu & Kashmir–Hillkaka area. Hillkaka was no Kargil in its strategic importance but merely a staging post for Pakistani Muslim militants. Operation Sarp Vinash was a division-size operation involving seven battalions and two brigade headquarters. Spearheaded by 9 Para Special Forces, six other units of 163 Infantry BrigadeBrigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
and 12 RR sector took part. These were 2/4 Gorkha Rifles, 15 Garhwal Rifles, 4 Garhwal Rifles, 16 and 20 Rashtriya Rifles. It was estimated that up to 100 militants were in and around the Hillkaka hideout spread out in the forest when Special Forces struck in the initial raid. They killed 13 Pakistani militants and captured two of whom one died later. In subsequent combing operations which lasted 10 days, 4 Garhwal Rifles ambushed seven militants near Haripur while they were attempting to cross over into Srinagar. Altogether, 45 Muslim militants were killed against a loss of four soldiers killed and two wounded. Substantial recoveries were made. Approximately 60 caches and hideouts were busted yielding 20 AK 47 rifles, 5 PIKA guns, two sniper rifles and unspecified quantities of grenade launchers, self loading rifles and 45 kg of plastic explosives. In addition substantial quantities of radio sets, and other communication equipment was also recovered besides rations enough to feed 500 men for two weeks.
Units
- 2nd Battalion
- 3rd Battalion
- 4th Battalion
- 5th Battalion
- 6th Battalion
- 7th Battalion
- 8th Battalion
- 9th Battalion
- 10th Battalion
- 11th Battalion
- 12th Battalion
- 13th Battalion
- 14th Battalion
- 15th Battalion
- 16th Battalion
- 17th Battalion
- 18th Battalion
- 19th Battalion
Battle honours
So far the Regiment has earned 30 battle honours. Of these, five have been awarded in the post-Independence period. The Regiment has also won the following theatre honours: Jammu & Kashmir — 1947–48, Ladakh — 1962, Punjab — 1965, Rajasthan — 1965, East Pakistan — 1971, Kargil — 1999.Battle Honours Pre Independence
- Punjab Frontier 1897-1898
- La Bassee 1914
- Armentiers 1914
- Festubert 1914-1915
- Neuve Chapelle 1915
- Aubers 1915
- France and Flanders 1914-1915
- Egypt 1915-1916
- Macedonia 1918
- Khan Baghdadi 1918
- Sharqat 1918
- Macepotamia 1917-1918
- Gallabat 1940
- Barentu 1941
- Keren 1941
- Massawa 1941
- Amba Alagi 1941
- Kuantan 1942
- Yenangyaung 1942
- Monywa 1942
- Citta Di Castello 1944
- North Arakan 1944
- Ngakyedauk Pass 1944
- Ramree 1944
- Taungup 1945
Battle Honours Post Independence
- Tithwal 1947-48
- J&K 1947-48
- Ladakh 1962
- Nuranang 1965
- Buttar Dograndi 1965
- Gadra Road 1965
- Punjab 1965
- Rajasthan 1965
- Hilli 1971
- East Pakistan 1971.
Theatre Honour Second World War
- North Africa (1940–43)
- Malaya (1941–42)
- Burma (1942–45)
- Italy (1943–45)
Decorations (Pre Independence)
Victoria CrossVictoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
Recipients
- Naik Darwan Singh Negi - First World War, FestubertFestubertFestubert is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. The village was on the Western Front during the First World War and was largely destroyed in the May 1915 Battle of Festubert.-Geography:...
-FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, 1914 - Rifleman Gabbar Singh (posthumous) - First World War, Neuve Chapelle, 1915
- Lt. William David KennyWilliam David KennyWilliam David Kenny VC born Saintfield, County Down on 1 February 1899 was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
(posthumous) - Waziristan CampaignWaziristan campaign 1919–1920The Waziristan campaign 1919–1920 was a military campaign conducted in Waziristan by British and Indian forces against the fiercely independent tribesmen that inhabited this region...
, 1920
Soldiers from the Garhwal Regiment were among the first Indian soldiers to receive the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
— which was, at the time, the highest decoration a soldier in the British or Commonwealth Forces could receive for gallantry — with two soldiers receiving this honour for their actions during the First World War. A British officer of the 4th/39th Garhwal Rifles, also received a Victoria Cross during the Waziristan Campaign in 1920.
Decorations (Post Independence)
Ashok Chakra Recipient:- Naik Bhavani Datt Joshi (posthumous), June 1984, Operation Blue StarOperation Blue StarOperation Blue Star ) 3– 6 June 1984 was an Indian military operation, ordered by Indira Gandhi, then Prime Minister of India, to remove Sikh separatists from the Golden Temple in Amritsar...
, AmritsarAmritsarAmritsar is a city in the northern part of India and is the administrative headquarters of Amritsar district in the state of Punjab, India. The 2001 Indian census reported the population of the city to be over 1,500,000, with that of the entire district numbering 3,695,077...
, IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
for his actions during the operation against Sikh separatists
Mahavir Chakra Recipient:
- Lieutenant-Colonel Kaman Singh, Indo-Pakistan War, 1948.
- Lieutenant-Colonel B.M Bhattacharya, Sino-Indian war, 1962
- Rifleman Jaswant Singh RawatJaswant Singh RawatRifleman Jaswant Singh Rawat was an Indian soldier who won the Mahavir Chakra Bravery Award.It was the final phase of the Sino-Indian War in November 1962. Even as his company was asked to fall back, Jaswant Singh remained at his post at an altitude of 10,000 feet and held back Chinese soldiers for...
(posthumous), Sino-Indian war, 1962 - Captain Chandranarayan Singh, Indo-PakistanIndo-Pakistani War of 1965The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. This conflict became known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947...
war, 1965
Of the other Gallantry award winners the following are of particular note -
- During the Indo-Pakistan War of 1971, Rifleman Makar Singh Negi of 6 Garhwal Rifles received the Vir ChakraVir ChakraVir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration carried with it the right to use Vr.C. as a postnominal abbreviation Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration...
for exceptional bravery & valour, during the Battle of Nawanpind. - In 1989, Rifleman Kuldeep Singh Bhandari of 5 Garhwal Rifles received the Vir ChakraVir ChakraVir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration carried with it the right to use Vr.C. as a postnominal abbreviation Vir Chakra is an Indian gallantry award presented for acts of bravery in the battlefield. Award of the decoration...
for his bravery, leadership qualities and dedication to duty. - In 2003, Captain Vivek Mishra of 16 Garhwal Rifles received the Shaurya ChakraShaurya ChakraThe Shaurya Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice while not engaged in direct action with the enemy. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, sometimes posthumously. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Vir Chakra...
for his bravery, leadership qualities and dedication to duty. - Major Ajay Kothiyal received Kirti ChakraKirti ChakraThe Kirti Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the field of battle. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, including posthumous awards. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Maha Vir Chakra...
in 2004. He also led the mission which made military history and record as the first military to use ski in a mountaineering expedition. He used ski to come down the mountain - Mt. Trisul (7120 m) - Capt Vishal Bhandral (posthumous) Kirti ChakraKirti ChakraThe Kirti Chakra is an Indian military decoration awarded for valour, courageous action or self-sacrifice away from the field of battle. It may be awarded to civilians as well as military personnel, including posthumous awards. It is the peacetime equivalent of the Maha Vir Chakra...
in September 2006 near Bandipura in Baramulla district, J&K.
Reunion 2004
The 12th Reunion of the Garhwal Rifles was organized at its Regimental Centre in LansdowneLansdowne, Garhwal
Lansdowne is a cantonment town in Pauri Garhwal district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.-History:Originally known as, Kaludanda, after Kalun and Danda in local language, Lansdowne was founded and named after then Viceroy of India, Lord Lansdowne in 1887, and by 1901 it had a population of 3943...
in June 2004. The highlight of the two-day celebrations was the special sainik sammelan presided over by Maj Gen MC Bhandari, the Colonel of Garhwal Rifles and Garhwal Scouts.
Addressing the sammelan, Maj Gen Bhandari recalled the gallant deeds of the Garhwali soldiers and said that the Garhwal Rifles has added a golden chapter in the annals of the Army history. Maj Gen Bhandari, on the occasion, released a commemorative First Day cover designed by Army Postal Service (APS) in the presence of Col M Eleesha, Director, APS, Central Command.
An attestation parade was also held as part of the reunion celebrations in which 266 recruits were inducted as full-fledged soldiers. Maj Gen Bhandari, who administered the oath, also presented medals to the distinguished recruits of the course. Rfn Rajiv Singh was adjudged the best recruit and received gold medal. Rfn Ashish Rawat was declared best in drill, Rfn Bhagwan Singh in PT and Rfn Sandeep Singh in firing. After the parade, the Colonel of the Regiment felicitated 22 Veer Naris and next-of-kin of martyrs.
Maj Gen Bhandari, retired senior officers and the Subedar Major of the Regimental Center laid wreaths in homage to those who laid down their lives in the battlefield and brought glory to their regiment in a solemn ceremony organised at the Regimental War Memorial.
About 300 officers and jawans, both serving and retired, from across the country participated in the celebrations. The veteran soldiers who attended the celebrations included the 92-year-old Lt Col IS Thapa and 80-year-old Maj PM Rex who served the Royal Garhwal Rifles from 1942 to 1948 and had come along with his wife from England. Several senior retired officers of the regiment attended, including Lt. Gen. ML Tuli (former Vice Chief of Army Staff), and Lt. Gen. K. Mahendra Singh (former Deputy Chief of Army Staff, and Col. of the regiment), participated. Lt Gen RS Gaur, who retired as a Quarter Master General, Army Headquarters also participated in celebrations. They cherished old memories on this occasion.
A badakhana and a variety entertainment programme were other highlights of the celebrations. A number of adventurous events organised to mark the occasion included para-drop and sky-diving demonstration by 50 (Independent) Para Brigade, motorcycle display by a 36-member team of the Corps of Military Police which came from Bangalore dogs' display by RVC Centre, Meerut.
The Regimental Centre — Lansdowne
LansdowneLansdowne, Garhwal
Lansdowne is a cantonment town in Pauri Garhwal district in the Indian state of Uttarakhand.-History:Originally known as, Kaludanda, after Kalun and Danda in local language, Lansdowne was founded and named after then Viceroy of India, Lord Lansdowne in 1887, and by 1901 it had a population of 3943...
, at a height of 5800 ft (1,767.8 m) above sea level, is the recruitment centre of the Garhwal Rifles. On October 1, 1921 the regimental centre celebrated its first founder's day. Now October 1 is celebrated as the raising day of the battalion. After Independence, the name of the centre was changed to Garhwal Rifles Regimental Centre. The rigorous drills during the training helps to infuse a sense of discipline in every recruit. Special emphasis is laid on physical fitness, mental toughness and weapon handling. After successful completion of the 34-week training course, a Garhwali youth is turned into a soldier. The soldier is then trained for two more weeks in counter-insurgency operations.
Colonels of the Garhwal Rifles and Scouts
- Maj. Gen. G. Bharat Singh, MC
- Maj. Gen. Hira Lal Atal
- Maj. Gen. H.N. Shingal PVSM, AVSM
- Lt. Gen. K. Mahendra Singh, PVSM (1979–1987)
- Lt. Gen. R.V. Kulkarni, PVSM, UYSM
- Maj. Gen. SPS Kanwar
- Brig. Abinash Dhillon
- Brig. Jagmohan Rawat
- Maj. Gen. Satish Sondhi
- Maj. Gen. Anil Walter Ranbhise
- Lt Gen Dr Mohan Chandra Bhandari,PVSM, AVSM*
- Lt. Gen. Paramjit Singh, PVSM, AVSM, VSM
- Lt Gen B.K. Chengappa, AVSM
- Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain, AVSM, SM, VSM**
See also
- Garhwali peopleGarhwali peopleGarhwali people are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group who primarily live in the Garhwal Himalayas of the north-western Indian state of Uttarakhand...
- List of Regiments of the Indian Army
- GarhwaliGarhwaliThe Garhwali language is a Central Pahari language belonging to the Northern Zone of Indo-Aryan languages. It is primarily spoken by the Garhwali people who are from the north-western Garhwal Division of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand in the Indian Himalayas.The Central Pahari...
- Garhwal DivisionGarhwal DivisionGarhwal is the north-western region and administrative division of the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand which is home to the Garhwali people. Lying in the Himalayas, It is bounded on the north by Tibet, on the east by Kumaon region, on the south by Uttar Pradesh state, and on the north-west by...
External links
- The Garhwal Rifles - Website Defence India
- The Garhwal Rifles - Globalsecurity.org